Latest / Sandman Stories Presents / EP 338: Japan- The Jellyfish and The Monkey (Ozaki)

Transcript

EP 338: Japan- The Jellyfish and The Monkey (Ozaki) · Sandman Stories Presents

• 0:28
  Welcome back listeners to Sandman's Stories Presents, a
• 0:31
  folklore podcast where I read you to sleep or until the next
• 0:34
  story. I'm your host, Dustin, and if
• 0:37
  you'd like to hear some stories that are too spicy for the main
• 0:40
  feed, go over and check out Sandman's Stories After Dark on
• 0:43
  Patreon. And thank you to Glory,
• 0:46
  Gabriella, and Farrah for signing up today.
• 0:50
  We are back in the book of Japanese folklore written down
• 0:53
  by Yeh TE Dorozaki. The story today is a variation
• 0:57
  on the same story I told way back on episode 51.
• 1:01
  In that one, the Dragon King wants the rabbit's eyes.
• 1:04
  Let's see what the Japanese version has in store.
• 1:07
  OK, let's begin. The Jellyfish and the Monkey
• 1:15
  Long, long ago in old Japan, the Kingdom of the Sea was governed
• 1:19
  by a wonderful king. He was called Rinjin, or the
• 1:22
  Dragon King of the Sea. His power was immense, for he
• 1:28
  was the ruler of all sea creatures, both great and small,
• 1:32
  and in his keeping were the jewels of the ebb and flow of
• 1:35
  the tide. The ebbing tide jewel caused the
• 1:39
  sea to recede from the land, and the flowing tide jewel made the
• 1:43
  waves crash to rise mountains high and to flow upon the shore
• 1:47
  like a tidal wave. The palace of Rinjin was at the
• 1:52
  bottom of the sea and was so beautiful that no one has ever
• 1:56
  seen anything like it, even in dreams.
• 2:00
  The walls were of coral, the roof of jade, and the floors
• 2:04
  were of the finest mother of Pearl.
• 2:08
  But the Dragon King, in spite of his widespreading Kingdom, his
• 2:11
  beautiful palace and all its wonders, was not happy where he
• 2:15
  reigned alone. At last.
• 2:20
  He thought that if he married, he would not only be happier,
• 2:23
  but also more powerful. So he decided to take a wife.
• 2:27
  Calling all his fish together, he chose several of them to go
• 2:30
  through the sea and to look for a young dragon Princess.
• 2:35
  At last they returned to the palace with a lovely young
• 2:38
  dragon. Her scales were of shiny green
• 2:41
  like the wings of summer beetle, her eyes shone like fire and she
• 2:46
  wore gorgeous robes. The king fell in love with her
• 2:50
  at once and the wedding ceremony was celebrated.
• 2:55
  Everything living in the sea, from the great Wales down to the
• 2:58
  littlest shrimps, came in Shoals to offer the congratulations to
• 3:01
  the bride and groom. Now for a time the Dragon King
• 3:06
  and his lovely bride were very happy.
• 3:09
  They loved each other dearly, and the bridegroom took delight
• 3:12
  in showing his bride all the wonders and treasures of his
• 3:14
  coral palace, and she was never tired of wandering through its
• 3:18
  vast halls and garden. Life seemed like a long summer
• 3:23
  day. Two months passed in this way,
• 3:27
  and then the Dragon Queen fell ill and was forced to stay in
• 3:30
  bed. The king was troubled when he
• 3:33
  saw his bride, so I'll and at once he sent for a fish doctor
• 3:37
  to come and give her some medicine.
• 3:40
  He gave special orders to the servants to nurse her carefully
• 3:43
  and to wait upon her with diligence.
• 3:46
  But in spite of all the nurses care and the medicine that the
• 3:49
  doctor prescribed, the queen showed no signs of recovery but
• 3:52
  grew worse. Then the dragon King interviewed
• 3:57
  the doctor and blamed him for not curing the queen.
• 4:01
  The doctor was scared of the King's wrath and said that the
• 4:04
  medicine she needed was not found in the ocean.
• 4:08
  Do you mean to tell me that you can't get the medicine here?
• 4:11
  Asked the Dragon King. That's what I said, said the
• 4:15
  doctor. What do you want for the queen?
• 4:19
  Demanded Ren Jin. I want the liver of a live
• 4:23
  monkey, answered the doctor. The liver of a live monkey, of
• 4:29
  course that would be most difficult to get, said the king.
• 4:34
  If we could get that for the Queen, Her Majesty would
• 4:36
  recover, said the Doctor. Very well, that decides it.
• 4:42
  We must get it somehow or other. But where can we find a monkey?
• 4:46
  Asked the King. Then the Doctor told the King
• 4:49
  that somewhere in the South there was a Monkey Island where
• 4:52
  a great many monkeys lived. If only you could capture one of
• 4:57
  these monkeys, said the Doctor. How can any of my people capture
• 5:02
  a monkey? Said the Dragon King, greatly
• 5:04
  puzzled. The monkeys live on dry land
• 5:07
  while we live in the water. I don't see what I can do.
• 5:12
  I had the same problem, said the doctor.
• 5:14
  But one of your servants can surely go on shore for that.
• 5:18
  Something must be done, said the king, and calling his chief
• 5:21
  steward, he asked his advice. The chief steward thought for
• 5:26
  some time, and then said joyfully, I know what we must
• 5:29
  do. There is the jellyfish.
• 5:33
  He is certainly ugly to look at, but he is proud of being able to
• 5:37
  walk on land with legs like a tortoise.
• 5:40
  Let's send him to the island of monkeys to catch 1.
• 5:45
  The jellyfish was then summoned to the King's presence and was
• 5:48
  told to catch a monkey for its liver.
• 5:52
  The jellyfish looked very troubled and said that he had
• 5:54
  never been to that island, and he was worried that he wouldn't
• 5:57
  be able to catch a monkey. The chief steward said, Well, if
• 6:02
  you depend on your strength, you will never catch a monkey, The
• 6:05
  only way is to trick one. How can I trick a monkey?
• 6:09
  I don't know how, said the perplexed jellyfish.
• 6:13
  Here's what you do, said the chief steward.
• 6:15
  When you approach the island and meet some of them, you must
• 6:18
  befriend one. Tell him that you're a servant
• 6:21
  of the Dragon King, and invite him to come and visit you and
• 6:25
  see the King's palace. Try and describe to him the
• 6:28
  grandeur of the palace, so as to arouse his curiosity and make
• 6:32
  him long to see it. But how can a monkey get here?
• 6:37
  You know monkeys can't swim, said the reluctant jellyfish.
• 6:41
  You must carry him on your back. What is the use of that shell if
• 6:45
  you can't do that? Said the chief steward.
• 6:49
  Won't he be very heavy? Asked the jellyfish again.
• 6:53
  Don't worry, you work for the Dragon king, replied the chief
• 6:56
  steward. I'll do my best, said the
• 6:58
  jellyfish and he swam away from the palace and started off
• 7:01
  towards Monkey Island. Swimming swiftly he reached his
• 7:06
  destination in a few hours and landed on the shore.
• 7:10
  Looking around he saw a big pine tree and I'm one of the branches
• 7:14
  was just what he was looking for, a live monkey.
• 7:19
  I'm in luck thought the jellyfish.
• 7:22
  Now I must flatter the creature and try and get him to come back
• 7:24
  with me to the palace and my part will be done.
• 7:29
  So the jellyfish slowly walked towards the pine tree.
• 7:33
  In those days the jellyfish had four legs and a hard shell like
• 7:37
  a tortoise. When he got to the pine tree he
• 7:40
  said, How do you do Mr. Monkey? Isn't it a lovely day?
• 7:47
  A very fine day, answered the monkey from the tree.
• 7:52
  I've never seen you in this part of the world before.
• 7:55
  Where have you come from? What is your name?
• 7:59
  My name is Jellyfish. I'm one of the servants of the
• 8:03
  Dragon King. I've heard so much of your
• 8:06
  beautiful island that I have to come and see it, answered the
• 8:10
  Jellyfish. I'm very glad to see you, said
• 8:14
  the monkey. By the bye, Said the Jellyfish.
• 8:19
  Have you ever seen the palace of the Dragon King?
• 8:24
  I've often heard of it, but I have never seen it, answered the
• 8:27
  monkey. Then you have to come.
• 8:31
  The beauty of the palace is beyond all description, said the
• 8:35
  jellyfish. Is that so?
• 8:38
  Asked the monkey in astonishment.
• 8:41
  The jellyfish saw his chance and went on describing the beauty of
• 8:45
  the Sea King's palace. The monkey grew more and more
• 8:48
  interested, and as he listened he climbed down the trees slowly
• 8:52
  to hear every detail. I've got him at last of the
• 8:57
  jellyfish. But he said, Mr. Monkey, I must
• 9:02
  now go back. Since you've never seen the
• 9:04
  palace of the Dragon King, won't you take this opportunity to
• 9:08
  come with me? I'll be able to act as a guide
• 9:11
  and show you all the sights of the sea, which will be even more
• 9:15
  wonderful to you. A landlubber.
• 9:19
  I would love to go, said the monkey, but how am I to cross
• 9:22
  the water? I can't swim, as you surely
• 9:24
  know. There is no difficulty about
• 9:28
  that. I can carry you on my back.
• 9:32
  That will be too much trouble for you, said the monkey.
• 9:35
  It's easy. I'm stronger than I look.
• 9:38
  But don't worry, said the jellyfish, and taking the monkey
• 9:41
  on his back, he stepped into the sea.
• 9:45
  Keep very still, Mr. Monkey, said the jellyfish.
• 9:48
  You mustn't fall into the sea. I am responsible for your safe
• 9:51
  arrival at the King's palace. Please don't go so fast or I
• 9:57
  will fall off, said the monkey. So they went along, the
• 10:01
  jellyfish skimming through the waves with the monkey sitting on
• 10:03
  his back. When they were about halfway,
• 10:07
  the jellyfish, who knew very little of anatomy, began to
• 10:10
  wonder if the monkey had his liver with him or not.
• 10:14
  Mr. Monkey, tell me, do you have a liver with you?
• 10:21
  The monkey was very much surprised at this queer question
• 10:24
  and asked what the jellyfish wanted with the liver.
• 10:28
  That is the most important thing of all, said the stupid
• 10:31
  jellyfish. So as soon as I remembered it, I
• 10:34
  asked you if you had yours with you.
• 10:37
  Why is my liver so important to you?
• 10:39
  Asked the monkey. Oh, you will learn that reason
• 10:43
  later, said the jellyfish. The monkey grew more and more
• 10:47
  suspicious and urged the jellyfish to tell him why his
• 10:50
  liver was wanted. Then the jellyfish, seeing how
• 10:54
  anxious the monkey looked, was sorry for him and told him
• 10:57
  everything. How the Dragon Queen had fallen
• 11:00
  ill and how the doctor had said that only the liver of a live
• 11:03
  monkey would cure her, and how the Dragon King had sent him to
• 11:06
  find one. Now I've done as I was told, and
• 11:11
  as soon as we will arrive at the palace the doctor will want your
• 11:14
  liver, so I feel sorry for you, said this silly jellyfish.
• 11:20
  The poor monkey was horrified when he learned all of this, and
• 11:23
  very angry at the trick played upon him.
• 11:26
  He trembled with fear at the thought of what was in store for
• 11:29
  him. But the monkey was a clever
• 11:32
  animal, and he thought at the wisest plan not to show any
• 11:35
  signs of the fear he felt. But he tried to calm himself and
• 11:39
  to think of some way by which he might escape.
• 11:44
  The doctor means to cut me open and then take my liver out.
• 11:48
  Why, I shall die, thought the monkey.
• 11:51
  At last a bright idea struck him.
• 11:54
  So he said quite cheerfully to the jellyfish.
• 11:57
  What a pity it was, Mr. Jellyfish, that you did not
• 12:01
  speak about this before we left the island.
• 12:05
  If I'd have told you why I wanted you to accompany me, you
• 12:08
  certainly would have refused to come answer the jellyfish.
• 12:12
  You are quite mistaken, said the monkey.
• 12:15
  Monkeys can very well spare a liver or two, especially when it
• 12:19
  is wanted for the Dragon Queen. If I had only guessed what you
• 12:23
  were in need of, I should have presented you with one without
• 12:25
  waiting to be asked. I have several livers, but the
• 12:29
  greatest pity is that as you did not speak in time, I have left
• 12:33
  all my livers hanging in the pine tree.
• 12:36
  You left your liver behind, Asked the jellyfish.
• 12:42
  Yes, said the cunning monkey. During the daytime I usually
• 12:46
  leave my liver hanging up on the branch of the tree because it
• 12:49
  gets in my way when I'm swinging from tree to tree.
• 12:52
  Today, listening to your interesting conversation, I
• 12:55
  forgot it and I left it behind when I came with you.
• 12:59
  If you had only spoken in time, I could have remembered it and
• 13:03
  could have brought it along with me.
• 13:06
  The jellyfish was very disappointed when he heard this,
• 13:09
  for he believed every word that the monkey said.
• 13:12
  The monkey was no good without a liver.
• 13:15
  Finally the jellyfish stopped and told the monkey so.
• 13:19
  Well, said the monkey, we can fix that.
• 13:22
  I am really sorry about your trouble, but if you will take me
• 13:25
  back to the place where you found me, I'll be able to get my
• 13:27
  liver. The jellyfish did not at all
• 13:31
  like the idea of going all the way back to the island again,
• 13:35
  but the monkey assured him that if he would be so kind as to
• 13:37
  take him back, he would get his very best liver and bring it
• 13:40
  with him the next time. So persuaded, the jellyfish
• 13:44
  turned towards Monkey Island once more.
• 13:48
  No sooner had the jellyfish reached the shore than the sly
• 13:51
  monkey landed, and climbing up into the pine tree where the
• 13:54
  jellyfish had first seen him, and looking down at the
• 13:56
  jellyfish, he said. So Many thanks for all your
• 14:00
  troubles. Please give my compliments to
• 14:03
  the Dragon King on your return. The jellyfish was confused by
• 14:08
  the speech and the mocking tone in which it was uttered.
• 14:12
  Then he asked the monkey if it wasn't his intention to come
• 14:14
  with him after getting his liver.
• 14:16
  The monkey replied laughingly that he couldn't afford to lose
• 14:19
  his liver, it was too precious. But remember your promise,
• 14:25
  pleaded the jellyfish, now very discouraged.
• 14:29
  That promise was false, and anyhow it is broken, answered
• 14:32
  the monkey. Then he began to jeer at the
• 14:35
  jellyfish and told him that he had been deceiving him the whole
• 14:38
  time, that he had no wish to lose his life, which he
• 14:42
  certainly would have done had he gone to the Sea King's palace
• 14:45
  instead of persuading the jellyfish to return under false
• 14:48
  pretenses. Of course, I won't give you my
• 14:53
  liver, but come and get it if you can, added the monkey
• 14:57
  mockingly from the tree. There was nothing for the
• 15:01
  jellyfish to do now but to repent his stupidity and to
• 15:04
  return to the Dragon King of the Sea and confess his failure.
• 15:08
  So he started to slowly swim back.
• 15:12
  The last thing he heard as he swam away was the monkey
• 15:15
  laughing at him. Meanwhile, the Dragon King, the
• 15:19
  Doctor, the chief steward, and all the servants were waiting
• 15:22
  impatiently for the return of the jellyfish.
• 15:26
  When they caught sight of him approaching the palace, they
• 15:29
  hailed him with delight. They began to thank him
• 15:33
  profusely for all the trouble he had taken in going to Monkey
• 15:36
  Island, and then they asked him where the monkey was now.
• 15:41
  The day of reckoning had come for the jellyfish.
• 15:44
  He quaked all over as he told his story, how he had brought
• 15:47
  the monkey halfway over the sea, and then stupidly told the
• 15:51
  monkey his mission, how the monkey had deceived him by
• 15:54
  making him believe that he had left his liver behind him.
• 15:58
  The Dragon King's wrath was great, and he at once gave
• 16:01
  orders that the jellyfish was to be severely punished.
• 16:05
  The punishment was a horrible one.
• 16:09
  All of the bones were to be drawn out of his living body,
• 16:12
  and he was to be beaten with sticks.
• 16:15
  The poor jellyfish, humiliated and horrified beyond all words,
• 16:19
  cried out for pardon, but the Dragons King's orders had to be
• 16:24
  obeyed. The servants of the palace each
• 16:27
  brought out a stick and surrounded the jellyfish, and
• 16:30
  after pulling out his bones they beat him to a flat pulp and then
• 16:34
  took him out beyond the palace gates and threw him into the
• 16:36
  water. Here he was left to suffer and
• 16:40
  repent his foolish chattering, and to grow accustomed to his
• 16:43
  new state of bonelessness. From this story it is evident
• 16:48
  that in the old times jellyfish once had a shell and bones, but
• 16:52
  ever since the Dragon King's order was carried out on their
• 16:54
  ancestor, his descendants have all been soft and boneless as
• 16:59
  you see them today, thrown up by the waves high upon the shores
• 17:02
  of Japan. THE END.
• 17:31
  OK, another fun story from Ozaki.
• 17:34
  This one's also popular in Korea and you can see it in one of my
• 17:36
  very early episodes, episode 51. And if you watch it on YouTube,
• 17:42
  I did my best to make a video for it as well.
• 17:45
  And I like the stories she tells, but Miss Ozaki and I are
• 17:48
  going to come to blows if she writes another story with a four
• 17:50
  line sentence. OK.
• 17:53
  And in the podcast, shout out is to the history of China.
• 17:56
  You'll want to know more about Chinese history.
• 17:58
  This is the podcast for it. I enjoy learning so much about
• 18:02
  what's going on as well as as narration on Shanghai.
• 18:05
  Locked down during COVID though. Go and listen to Chris in his
• 18:09
  awesome show And the listener shout out is to Sioux City, IA.
• 18:15
  Located on the far West side of the state.
• 18:17
  This city is the fourth biggest in Iowa with just under 90,000
• 18:21
  inhabited. I think it was about the size of
• 18:24
  my neighborhood in Korea. And if I'm out there for some
• 18:27
  reason, maybe I'm visiting traditional Dakota lands.
• 18:31
  I would be very interested in seeing the Sergeant Floyd
• 18:33
  Memorial dedicated to the only man to die on the Lewis and
• 18:36
  Clark expedition. And so to my listener in Sioux
• 18:39
  City, I say thank you and good night.